This blog functions like an exhaust valve to bring out my cluttered and sometimes confused thoughts. Please give your comments so that we can make this more useful, with wider perspectives. You may find my micro-blogs on Twitter @jay_ambadi.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Is Corruption an Issue in Indian Politics?

Are you surprised at the timing of this question? Are you wondering how any sensible person can
even ask such a question while the entire media is discussing nothing but
corruptions and scams?

Well, I have my reasons for asking such a question, which I hope you
will appreciate, if you continue reading this post.

I, for one, strongly believe that corruption is not an issue in Indian
politics!

Well, we make lot of noise around corruption. There are allegations and
counter allegations being hurled in all directions, with total impunity. Even media is willing to air stories about
individuals without even proper verification of the alleged facts, with scant
regard for the person’s reputation or propriety.

Look at the number of agitations and fast unto deaths etc that was
conducted purportedly against corruption in the past 15 months or so. It is
very easy for us to get convinced that corruption is the single most important
issue in today’s politics. Now, we even
have a new political outfit (yet to be named), under the aegis of India Against
Corruption (IAC) or whatever is left of it, with fight against corruption as
the only known ideology and agenda that binds them together ( though some would
say, it is not corruption but the love of anarchy that is the binding force).

We have allegations not only against reigning central ministers and
chief ministers but even against President of the principal opposition party
and son in law of president of the ruling Party. There are insinuations as to
who the Team A is and who else is their Team B etc in fight against corruption.
There are also claims and counter claims
as to who is behind the activities against corruption- RSS, Congress dynasty and
Ford Foundation getting the maximum credit or discredit.

The most bizarre theory about scams I heard recently was that the new
scams are brought out into public domain only to remove the previous ones from
the public memory. I even heard that
allegations involving Law Minister Mr Salman Khurshid was brought with his own
connivance to deflect the heat away from Mr Robert Vadra, the son in law of Mrs
Sonia Gandhi, against whom allegations of arranging undue favours from a state
government to a corporate group as quid pro quo for benefits given to him was
alleged.

On the other hand it is business as usual as far as Indian elections
are concerned. In various bye-elections
and local elections, the current ruling party at Centre is facing mixed results,
with some wins and some loses. Same is
the case with many regional leaders who are facing corruption allegations. None of them seem to have lost any supporters on account of the allegations. Even on social media, the arguments for and
against the leaders facing allegations are mostly on predictable lines-
depending more on the affiliations of the person commenting than on the nature
or extent of the allegation itself.

Everyone speaks a lot on corruption.
But invariably, it is against the leaders of the opposing parties. Even
those people who are not supporters of any conventional political parties (like
the ‘I Am Also Common Man’ or ‘Mein Bhi Aam Aadmi’ volunteers) are focusing on
targeting individuals and seeking their resignations than addressing corruption
as an issue!

We don’t get to hear any suggestions from anybody as to what we should
do or not to do to end or reduce corruption in our country. Look at the issue of Mr Salman Khurshid’s
Trust. What is the sole demand of everyone concerned? Let the Minister resign!

“How about an investigation?” ....“ Well, no one has any faith left in
the investigating agencies. “

“But the investigation is being conducted by the State Government ruled
by another party!”... “So what?! Centre
will use CBI against State leadership who are themselves facing corruption
charges, so that State Government will not let the truth come out against
Central Minister”

“How about fighting it out in the court?”... “Are you crazy? Don’t you
know in India, courts take so much of time and nothing comes out of it?”

“Ok, what if the Minister resigns but his colleagues continue to influence
the probe?”... “Yes, very much possible. That is why this tainted government
must go”

“What if the same government comes back to power?”... “No way, don’t
you know 120 crore Indians are against corruption?”

“But then you saw the Nanded Municipal elections where Congress party
was led to major victory by none other than Mr Ashok Chavan, who had to resign
as Chief Minister, due to the infamous corruption case relating to Adarsh?”...
“ Well, those are municipal elections and fought on local issues”

“But then how can we say corruption is an issue for 120 Crore Indians
if they are not even willing to punish someone like Ashok Chavan, who has lost
the perception war very badly?!”

This goes on... Some would like
to see the entire government out and replaced by their own party, like any
genuine opposition would wish. Some
others are not happy with any party coming into power. They, like true anarchists, want the
government out but don’t want any other government to come back in its place!
Some of them even say what India needs is a revolution. Ok, fine. Revolution, and then what? No
answer!

Why are we not asking ourselves as to how can we stop the corruption? Why no one questions distribution of public
money through private trusts? Salman
Khurshid and his Trust may or may not have misappropriated the grant, let
courts/investigations decide that. But
can’t we ensure that the money is reaching the needy, directly? Even if the
process of identification is conducted through NGOs, why should money be
distributed through them? How about the
proposed direct cash transfer scheme, expected to remove all the middle men in
distributing subsidies and state aids to poor?

No one seems to be interested in these questions? Why?

Answer is simple. We are not interested in corruption or its
eradication as an issue. No political
party in India will dare to raise the issue of corruption as they very well
know almost everyone in India is corrupt.
Neither will they take measures to eradicate corruption as the very
electoral system in India survives and thrives on black money and
corruption. No one is under any illusion
that the 1000s of crores spent on elections after elections are raised through
bucket collections but corrupt deals!

With all the movements and agitations against corruption, have you seen
a single person who has stopped going to the TTE in train, to get that berth
allotted by paying bribes? Anyone who refused to avail admission of his/ her
kid because s/he was asked to pay black money as unaccounted capitation fee?
Anyone who refused a property transaction since the other party insisted on payments
in black? Any corporate that refused to accept a license or contract because it
was asked to pay bribes?

That being the case, all parties avoid fighting corruption. But yes, they do use the concept as a tool in
an insidious manner; for gaining publicity and media coverage on the one hand
and for character assassination of opponents on the other hand.

That is what corruption is for Indian politics... Only an easy tool to
attack opponents!

I can foresee some readers reminding me about the struggle for Lokpal
/Janlokpal as a remedy against corruption!
But again, I believe Lokpal /Jan Lokpal is no remedy for corruption. It
is, at best, another tool that can be used against one’s opponents. If threat of prosecution and punishment can
stop deviant behaviours we wouldn’t be having murders and rapes so often.

The whole focus of the movements against corruption and even the
proposed Lokpal is how to punish those who have indulged in corruption. The concept of retribution! I am not convinced about the efficacy of
retribution measures in preventing corruption.
If we have to prevent corruption we need to necessarily remove the
avenues for corruption. We need to
reduce discretion of individuals and increase transparency in
administration. We need to make processes
more and more automatic and reduce the interface between service provider and
beneficiaries.

In fact this focus on the retribution and targeting of persons are
being counterproductive to the cause. No
doubt, the guilty have to be punished. But that has to be done within the
existing systems and institutions. We cannot afford to have revolutions and change
of government on each allegation of corruption.
Instead, these allegations are only making the governments and leaders
to go of the defensive thereby reducing any chance for systemic reforms! Like lawyers fighting in the adversarial system
of trial, people become compelled to take sides irrespective of the merits of
the case!

In my opinion, the Right to Information Act alone has done more in preventing corruption than all other
measures combined (please note that more disclosures through RTI does not mean
more corruption). We need to follow it
up with Right to time bound Services to citizens. We also need to make more and more
information regarding decision making processes compulsorily available in the
public domain through publication on websites of concerned department etc.

These (and many other such) measures require a strong will to implement
as any effort would surely face lot of resistance from vested interests. Such measures lack glamour and will not get
more time of news channels. Instead we
will continue to adopt the short cuts like targeting and seeking heads of our
respective opponents.

I strongly believe, when our politicians realise that corruption is
indeed an issue for our people, they will change and they will start reforming
the systems. Politicians only understand
the language of votes... they don’t care a bit for reputation!

If people stop voting for corrupt leaders, leaders will stop
being corrupt. If people are more
concerned about caste, religion, mosque, temple, cow, pig and various other
such narrow issues, then corruption will continue to thrive in our country- merely
replacing the old leaders with new ones, to continue in the same path and to provide new fodder for more retribution!

May be this is the right time to make corruption a true political issue?

6 comments:

but the problem is the "POWER CORRUPTS & ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY". If we vote the corrupt out it will only lead to a breed called NEO-CORRUPT LEADERS. And this has happened in past too.Definitely hyper activism of media has reduced corruption to a subject of drawing room discussion from the NATIONAL SHAME. They are simply pursuing Agenda Setting Theory rather than Social Responsibility Theory. Media needs to restrain from yellow journalism and subjectivity. Reporting is becoming editorial kind, Media is not playing it's role responsibly, which is something pathetic.

The Lokpal Act should lay down an objective and transparent criteria such as competence, experience, qualification etc for the selection of candidates for appointment to the Lokpal.http://www.facingcorruption.blogspot.in/

gud one, i liked your blog its very good and shows how much you give inyour articles and you can also see my blog:- www.hindu4u.blogspot.ini would like to say that i want to give you salute for your exellent work............

Actually To the Some extent you are right.The Corruption in not only in Politics.It is in almost every sector.I also agree with you that the common man also starts to take and give bribe according to his convenience.First we have to stop this habit.